Door latch



July 13,1926. y

l H. W. COOLEY DOOR LATCH Filed Nov, 24, 1923 Patented dui/y 13, 1925.

l Unirse f isaiasi HIRAM W. COOLEY, GF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

j' v DOQB LATCH.

Application filed November This invention relates to a door latch de-V signed primarily for latching ay pair of swinging doors such as are usually put upon the rear end of the 'closed body of a. vehicle.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a simple latch that is readily actua-bleand that firmly holds the doors in closed position and prevents rattling.

With these and other advantages in view which will become more apparent in the following description and disclosures, this invention comprises the novel mechanism and combinations hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims. f

In the accompanying drawings which 1llustrate a preferred embodiment of this in vention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the diiferent views.

On the drawings:

Figure l lis a top plan view of the latch.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the latch applied to a pair of doors.

Figure 3 is a'reduced section through the doors showing the latch in elevation.

Figure 4 is a sectional view upon the line 4-4 of Figure l with the latch applied to a door.

Figure 5 Figure 2.

As shown on the drawings:

In referring now to the drawings the reference numeral l illustrates a latch bar which is hinged upon one door 2 and overlaps the other door 3 to which it is removably secured. The latch bar is in the form of a channel having lateral flanges connected by an outer web. v The rearend of the latch slopes outwardlyand is provided with an arcuate terminal' which fits over a V\! or inverted channel shaped supporting hinge member 4 having an arcuate outer surface, which is bolted to the door 2; a pivot pin 5 extending through the lateral flanges of the latch bar and through the sides of the hinge member 4 for hinging the latch bar to said door. The web of the inverted channel 4 extends forwardly and is bent outwardly in the form of a spring or resilient tongue 4a.

A parti-circular disk 6 is rotatablymounted upon the forward end of the latch bar. The plan view of this disk is shown in Figure 5. It consists of a disk `having an arcuate portion somewhat greater than i8() is a vie-w upon the line 5-5 of es, laas. serial no. 676,591.

stop ringe or rib 7. The central part of the arcuate portion is raised and slopes 'down-4 wardly to the ridge 7 as is shown in Figure 2. The disk 6 is fastened upon the shank 8 of an operating handle 9 which is rotatably mounted upon the latch bar. lf desirable the disk 6 may constitute an integral part of the shank. The forward part of the latch bar is provided with a slot l0 for receiving a locking hasp l1 secured to the door. This hasp has a forwardly projecting nose or lug under which the disk 6 is adapted to be rotated, and is provided with an aperture for receiving the hasp of a padlock or seal for locking the doors when desired.

ln the position shown in Figures 2 and 5, the latch bar l is in latching position with the edge of the disk 6 under the nose of the h asp 1l and the spring 41 confined under tension between the door 2 and the latch bar. if it is now desired to open the doors the disk 6 is rotated until the rib 7 has moved 'through an arc of 180 degrees; the rib7 passing under the nose of the hasp 11 through an inward pressure of the latch bar if necessary. Such an operation will bring the ridge 7 adjacent the front point of the hasp 1l so that the latter can pass through the slot l() as the latch is swung outwardly upon its pivoted hinge connection 5. In case there should be an accidental rotation of the disk 6 as when the vehicle is going over rough roads the spring 4a will maintain the latch against the nose of the hasp 11 and the ridge 7 will act as a stop to prevent the lock-` ing disk 6 from rotating to inoperative position. In latching the doors, they are swung into closed position, so that their adjacent ends abut the upright l2 when the latch l may be swung over the hasp 11 and the disk rotated to locking position under the nose of the hasp.

It should be noted that the spring 48L is housed and concealed within the channel-Eike memher and that the rotatable cam disk G has integral stops in the ridge 7 to prevent the same from accidently rotating into an inoperative position and releasing the doors. Consequently an extremely simple and effi cient latch has been provided which conceals the supporting means therebeneath and presents a neat and pleasing appearance.

I am aware that numerous details of conn struction may be varied through a wide 'ange without departing from the principles of this invention,l and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A door latch comprising a channelshaped member, a support embraced by the lateral flanges of said member, said support having a forwardly projecting spring tongue and a parti-circular cam disk rotatably mounted upon said latch and having stop ridges for the purpose set forth.

2. A door latch comprising ay channelshaped member, a support lo which the same is pivotally mounted, said support haring a 'forwardly extending spring tongue, and a rotatable 'am disk upon said latch embodying stop ridges, said latch having a slot adjacent said disk for r .eeiving a latchiug hasp.

In testimony u'hereoi I have hereunto suhscribed my name.

HIRAM IV. COOLEY. 

